


noir; shin higaku

by venvea



Category: Yandere Simulator (Video Game)
Genre: ? - Freeform, Abuse, Age Difference, Akademi High, Angst, Budo is 18/19, Budo is overprotective, Budo x Shin - Freeform, Depression, Everyone is gay except our Oka, F/M, Flashbacks, Friendship/Love, Hey, Hurt/Comfort, I Don't Even Know, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Japanese Character(s), Kinda, M/M, Mido x Shin, Midori is here, Muja is actually smart, Non-Consensual Touching, Oka is 18, Oka is just Oka, Oka x Shin, Okashin, One Shot, One-Sided Relationship, Rape, Rape/Non-con Elements, Shido - Freeform, Shin is 17, Shin is canonically bi fight me, Shin is sad, Shin's parents are very dead, Shin-centric, Student Council, Teacher-Student Relationship, Teenagers, This Is STUPID, Trauma, Umeji as well, Underage - Freeform, Violence, Yan-Chan not included, and Mido is 30 i guess?, and Oka is Oka, and a good friend, as always, because damn, because;, bottom Shin, budoshin, child abuse I guess?, for MutsumiMaeno, god bless you for your fanfictions, guess who's hurt, i love this cinnamon roll, just mentioned, masugaku, not actually, rough, yandere simulator - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-06 10:34:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16386269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/venvea/pseuds/venvea
Summary: ❝Budo refuses to be soothed. He shakes his head. "There's something you're not telling me, Shin, and I really wish you would. I'm worried about you. And so is Oka," he adds.All of a sudden, Shin can't breathe. He curls in on himself and shuts down. He knows he's made life a living hell for Oka over the past few weeks and that is honestly his greatest regret. Deep down, he cares for his not-so-biological sister and would do anything for her. Well, anything except tell her all the horrible filthy ways Mido has used him.❞or; a Shin-centric one-shot because we all need it.





	noir; shin higaku

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MutsumiMaeno](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MutsumiMaeno/gifts).



> ugh i don't even know.  
> so, this fanfic uses one of my headcanons; Shin's parents are very much dead and now he stays with Oka until he gets adopted or other shit that i don't know how works.  
> also Shin calls Oka 'doll' and 'Okey' just because. cute nicknames are my life.  
> and Oka's eyes are green just because.  
> i have no idea how all these -chan -kun etc. things work so i'll just leave it like this.  
> sorry for my shitty English, in English classes i usually sleep or look at our turtle.

* * *

**_Noir._ **

* * *

Of all the things Oka expects to find when she returns to her house after a long day at school, Shin's bare torso definitely isn't one of them. The doors open quietly, and Shin spins around, guilt and shock etched into his features. Oka enters the room and folds her arms over her chest as leans against the wall. "Care to explain, Shinny?" She asks, raising an eyebrow.

Shin scowls at the name, like Oka knew he would. "I'm not a child anymore, Okey," he says, tone terse and guarded. As he speaks, he pulls his school uniform back around himself, hiding his body from view, and Oka could swear she saw two hickeys on his pale neck. She just sighs.

"I know that, Shin. That's not what I was implying. But you have to admit, it's odd for me to come home and find you in... varying stages of undress." Not that Oka exactly minded, but that was a dangerous line of thought to go down. Surprisingly, Shin bows his head.

"Ugh, I know, I'm sorry, Oka. It won't happen again, doll." And before Oka can comment on this strange turn of events, Shin wanders down the hallway to his room. The girl hears the door click shut and lock.  

-

Shin leans against the door to his room, his breath coming faster. He's trying to keep a lid on his panic because the last thing he wants is Oka's soothing voice and calming presence right now. And he knows if he even tries to got out of his new room, that's exactly what he'll get. What he really wants is to break something, to rip something into tiny pieces, to claw off his own skin. He takes more deep breaths.

He pushes off from the wall next to the door to pace the few feet between his bed and the window. His jacket slips from his shoulders in his agitation and Shin hisses as the fabric brushes against the abrasion on his left side. He pauses by the window and examines the wound in the fading light of the sun. It's not horrible - by tomorrow morning it will look like a fading sunburn - but the shame stings deeper than the cut.

\-----

_"Get up, Shin," Mido's voice is a low hiss reminding Shin of a snake in a jungle. When the boy stays crouched on the floor, Mido comes over and grabs a fistful of his dark hair and yanks. Shin refuses to give him the satisfaction of yelling; instead he grits his teeth as tears spring to his violet eyes. Once he is standing up straight, Mido releases him. "Good boy," he praises. And Shin feels all his muscles clench in revulsion._

_When Mido kisses him, Shin fights back. And receives a burn on his side for his trouble._

\-----

Oka is gone by the time Shin wakes up the next morning - she always goes to school earlier, so she can open the club's doors and do other shit Shin is glad he hasn't got to do. Shin can't tell if he's pleased about his loneliness or not though, and he eats his small breakfast in a moody silence, since Oka's parents left home as well. But he only gets through half of it before becoming nauseous. He has another ' _meeting_ ' with Mido today. 

-

Walking through the doors of the school has Shin on high alert. His meeting with Mido - if it could even be called a meeting - had lasted most of the afternoon, so he had to skip lunch, and even refuse helping Supana in club's activities. The light is fading towards evening as Shin makes his slow, painful way back to 'his' house.

He pauses outside of the door and listens. Oka is home, as is to be expected, but someone else is there as well, since the deep voice for sure belonged to a man. Shin hesitates, not sure if he's up to company at the moment, but not wanting to wander around for hours either. He's sore and filthy and he wants a hot shower to scrub away what dirt he can.

When he hears a clear, deep laugh, his decision is made for him. He does an about face and heads back the way he came. There's no way he can face Budo like this. He would be able to see right through him.

Oka holds up a hand to stop the flow of Budo's conversation. She cocks her head to the side and then sighs sadly.

"What is it?" Budo asks, taking a sip of his hot tea.

"Shin," Oka answers quickly and silently. "I think you may have scared him off." She shakes her head and takes a drink of her own steaming cup. Budo has been worried about his 'friend' as well over the past few days, so when Oka invited him to her house to talk about clubs, he agreed immedietaly. Oka wanted him to come over to see if he could offer any advice, seeing as he was one of Budo's closest friends. "Have you noticed anything... off about him lately?" The girl asks, trying and failing to seem nonchalant.

Budo gives her a searching glance and then sighs. "To be honest, Okana, I haven't seen him in more than a week. I think maybe the delinquents did something to him? Umeji seems to be.... well, weird lately, especially around Shin."

Oka waves her hand. "Please, call me just Oka. I hate my full name," she insists.

Budo smiles sadly, "I'm sorry, Oka, but, _fuck_ , I can't help you with this. I'm worried about him so much, I have no idea-"

Oka just thanks Budo for his time and company anyway as they chat idly for a few more minutes. Budo leaves as soon as it is polite, able to tell that Oka is anxious to find her almost-brother and fix this, whatever this is. "Good luck," he offers as he takes his leave.

Oka gives him a wan smile in return. " _Thank you. With Shin, it's always better to have luck._ "

-

Shin doesn't return until after midnight. He's spectacularly drunk. Oka is waiting up for him, arms crossed on the couch, her frown seeming to be permanently etched on her face. "Where have you been?" She questions as Shin stumbles into the main room, glaring at the step stool he nearly tripped over as if it was the object's fault.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Shin bites back, tone acidic and glare matching. He throws himself down on the couch next to Oka and hiccups impressively. She places a hand gingerly on Shin's knee and Shin nearly jumps off the couch in an attempt to get away. "Don't fucking touch me," he spits, halfway across the room, chest heaving.

Oka holds up her hands in a surrendering gesture. "Alright," she agrees, speaking and moving slowly so as not to spook Shin again. She stands up and takes one step towards him. But Shin is gone, the click of the lock to his room sounding like a gun shot in the silence.

\-----

_"Get up off the floor, baby boy," Mido's voice is hard and cold. Shin doesn't move. "I said; get up, baby boy," Mido's footsteps clack loudly on the marble floor as he stalks towards Shin. The boy stays still, trying to make himself as small as possible. Mido stops in front of him and the silence, the not knowing what comes next, is almost worse and Shin can't help it. He whimpers. That seems to break Mido out of his stillness and he reaches down to haul Shin up by his collar. Shin splutters and chokes as Mido drags him to his desk in front of the big classroom. Shin bounces a little as Mido throws him down and he scrambles to get his balance back, standing up on his knees with his hands in front of himself. He still won't go down without a fight._

_"I admire your spirit, Shinny," Mido whispers as he looms over Shin. "Too bad it won't get you anywhere with me." Shin's screams are muffled by the hand pressing down on his mouth and it's too much, he can't breathe, he can't breathe-_

\-----

Shin sits up in bed, gasping in huge lungfuls of air. "It's just a dream, just a dream," he mutters to himself. His dark eyelashes are wet with unshod tears and the sheets are tangled around his long legs. His heartbeat sounds loud in the silence of early morning.

A knock on the door startles Shin so badly he nearly jumps out of his skin. "Come in," he rasps. He's lucky he avoided Oka for most of the day. His voice has been scratchy all day after Mido had "met" with him that morning.

Oka enters the room, leaving the door open behind her in case Shin makes her leave as quickly as he invited her in. "Are you alright?" Oka asks in a quiet voice. "I could hear you cry sitting in the living room." 

"I'm fine," Shin says, scrubbing at his face with his flesh hand. He avoids Oka's green eyes. "It was just a bad dream."

"Anything you want to talk about?" The hesitance in Oka's voice hurts Shin more than his beating from earlier. It hurts to know his almost-sister is afraid of him, that his best friend might be disappointed in him yet again. Shin just shakes his head, not trusting his voice. "Are you sure?" Oka asks, her voice sounding more like her own as she presses. Shin shakes his head again and lies back down, pulling the covers up over his head. He lies there, schooling his breathing back to normal so that Oka will leave him alone to cry in peace. And after a few moments, she does just that. And Shin lets his pillow collect the hot, anxious tears that leak out as he counts down the hours until his next encounter.

\-----

_"You called for me, Mr. Rana?" Shin stands at parade rest at the entrance to Mido's classroom, his eyes quickly scan the corridor, seeing only Aoi standing next to Kuroko at the end of it._

_Mido heads towards Shin, smile dazzling and full of promise. "Ah, yes, Shin," he says, motioning to Shin to come in and take a seat on one of the desks arranged in the centre of the room. "I've heard good things about you, promising things." Shin smiles, but doesn't say anything. He's still unsure as to why he was called here, but so far so good._

_Mido takes a seat on the table next to Shin, placing a long-fingered hand on his knee. "I've decided upon something, Higaku." Shin smiles in what he hopes is an encouraging manner, though the hand on his knee is setting off alarm bells in his head. He nearly rans away, but then the new teacher continues his monologue and Shin completely forgets all his misgivings. "I've decided to let the Occult Club become a thing. After hearing miss Ruto's arguments, I was pretty much... not sure about that, but you seem trustworthy, so I decided to talk to other teachers."_

_Shin can't help the grin that splits his face. "Me? Really?" He asks, ignoring the fact that he sounds childish._

_Mido smiles at him and the hand on his knee slides up to the back of his neck. "Yes, my boy, you."_

\-----

Shin stands at the classrom's doors, his outlook much changed from the morning so many days ago when he thought this appointment would lead to great things. Mido has changed too. He no longer even tries to pretend to be bright and cheery, no longer pretends to be kind to Shin, that Shin's feeling matter one bit to him. Instead he's cruel and merciless, using Shin for his own pleasure and nothing more. He doesn't even keep up the pretence of discussing club's matters anymore.

\-----

As Shin is limping back to the Occult Club on a Monday afternoon, he nearly runs into Budo. "Oof," Shin grunts as he windmills his arms to keep from falling over. Budo grabs his wrist to help steady him, but Shin flinches so badly he ends up sprawled on the cold floor of the hallway anyway. He glares up at Budo, immediately on the defensive. "Watch where you're going, Masuta," he snarls as he picks himself up.

Budo gives him a look that's half sad and half scolding. "Shin?," he begins and Shin can tell a lecture is coming on. He does an about face and walks away, leaving Budo standing there, shell shocked and hurt.

\-----

_Shin doesn't struggle anymore. He lets the handcuffs bear his weight and he slumps against the chair, his head hanging down on his chest. "Look at me, boy," Mido commands as he walks over to where Shin is shackled. Shin complies, his head lolling over onto his shoulder. His eyes are unfocused and he lets his mind wander where it will. He doesn't want to think about what's going to happen next. The anticipation makes it worse._

_Mido drags a hand covered with lube down Shin's chest and he shivers. "How many fingers do you want inside you this time?" The teacher asks, reaching around behind the boy to tease his hole with one finger. Shin tenses and then forces himself to relax. "However many you want to put in me, Sir," he responds flatly, automatic and unfeeling. Mido chuckles. "Good answer, boy."_

\-----

_Shin cries sometimes, tears escaping when it's all too much, and when his toes are curling and he's letting out those high-pitched whimpers he hates. He is flushed, and sweaty, his hair a mess with drool on his chin from desperate kisses - he must look like a complete, desperate wreck._

_And Mido? He just rocks his hips up into Shin, which makes the boy emit a sobbing noise as he clings onto those broad shoulders and takes his cock again and again as he lays under him; it's too much, and he just bites Mido's shoulder hard enough to leave marks, only so he doesn't cry and give his teacher satisfaction of completely destroying him._

\-----

Shin wakes from a dream in which he's running down corridors, forever searching for a way out but not finding it. He's disoriented for a moment before becoming aware of his own armchair in the Occult Club. The noise that woke him up was a knock on the door. "Come in," he calls, expecting Akane with her wide smile to enter the room.

He doesn't bother to stand up. He sees Budo, concern etched on his face in the wrinkle of his brow and the down turned set of his mouth. "Hi, Budo," Shin greets him lazily, stretching out on the armchair and patting the space next to him. "You shouldn't train your ninjas now?"

Budo looks at him strangely as he walks over to the boy. "I wanted to... talk. Are you feeling alright, Shin?" He asks slowly.

Shin laughs _and it sounds hysterical to even his own ears_. "Of course I'm alright, Budo, why wouldn't I be?"

But Budo is still looking at him with concern and then his hand is on Shin's forehead and Shin can't even think to flinch because Budo's ice cold hand feels so soothing against his flushed skin. "Shin, you're burning up!" The boy exclaims.

"Good job, Captain Obvious," Shin retorts. "It's because this room is so fucking hot."

"That's not it," Budo says. "I think you're running a fever." Shin laughs again and the hysterical quality is even more apparent this time around. "Let's go, I think you need a visit to the infirmary."

After a lot of persuading and arguing, Budo leads a sweating Shin to the infirmary, where his diagnosis of a fever is confirmed. The pink haired nurse whisk him away for more tests to determine the source, since it doesn't appear that Shin has any other symptoms. So Budo sits on the stairs, looking up sometimes only to see Midori running from one person to another, talking a little with Musume and her friends, whose names he can't even remember.

While he's waiting and praying for Oka to come soon, his teacher, Mido Rana sweeps into the hallway, a thunderous expression on his face. Budo stands and greets him. "Is there anything I can do for you, sir?" He asks. Mido gives him a look that makes Budo's breath catch in his throat.

"Your friend, Shin, was supposed to meet me this morning to discuss some... personal matters. He didn't show up. I asked around and found out he was here." The teacher looks as if he is going to storm the classrooms if he doesn't find Shin soon, and so Budo stands and reaches a hand out to grasp him on the shoulder.

"Shin is here because he isn't feeling well, sir," Budo says, his voice low and serious. "He was running a fever when I went to talk with him, and he was nearly delirious by the time I got him here. They're running tests to find the cause but I don't think anyone can come in right now."

Mido's face doesn't soften and he shrugs out of Budo's grasp. However, Budo counts their encounter a success because Mido takes a seat in the opposite side of the stairs, seeming content to wait even if he is stewing in anger.

A little while later a substitute nurse comes out into the corridor. Budo and Mido both stand. The nurse looks flustered for a minute and glances down at her chart. "Uhhhh... Budo Masuta?" She calls. Budo walks over to her and she gestures for him to follow. He does so, feeling Mido's dark eyes on his back. The nurse leads him back to the small room where he finds Shin hooked up to an IV, his eyes closed and his breathing even. "The source of his fever was an infection," the nurse tells him as Budo walks over to the cot and looks down at his friend.

Budo looks over at her in confusion. "An infection?" He repeats stupidly. "From what?"

The nurse consults her chart again. Budo wonders idly if she's new. She walks over to Shin and pulls down the sheet to expose the side of his upper thigh. Budo gasps at the welt festering there. "Yeah," the nurse agrees. "It's a bad one. He refused to answer me when I asked why he hadn't come in sooner. He's lucky you brought him in when you did. He might've gone septic."

For a moment, Budo's vision swims. He grasps the metal railing of the bed in a death grip. "Thank you, ma'am," he says to the nurse. "May I have a few minutes alone with him?"

"Certainly, Budo," the nurse concedes. "Come to the Occult Club if you need anything, I'll tell what happened miss Ruto, if I find her."

As soon as she's gone, Budo takes Shin's hand in his and sits down in the chair next to his bed. "Shinny," he whispers. " _You little dumb fuck_ , what did you get yourself into?"

-

Mido paces the corridor in a black rage. It was one thing if Shin had shown up late to their meeting, it would just give Mido an excuse to punish him greater, but to not show up at all... that little twink is going to pay.

The nurse who had called Budo back into the patient rooms returns to the corridor, heading to the faculty room. Mido walks over to her and plasters a smile on his face. "Excuse me, Muja?" He asks. "Could you tell me how's Shin? May I come in?"

The nurse turns toward him and fixes him with a gaze of steel. Apparently she's not the delicate petal he thought she was. "I'm sorry Rana," she accompanies her words with a sickly sweet smile. "But that information has already been given to the relative parties. This is school's infrmary, not a meeting room. Whatever your business with the Higaku boy is, you may discuss it with him after discharge." Mido looks at her, dumbfounded. "I know you shouldn't be a teacher, not in Akademi High, and I will take none of your shit there." She turns around and walks to the room next to them. Mido scowls at her back, but leaves. He'll have to find another way to make Shin pay.

\----

Shin slowly fights his way out of the fog the drugs have left him in. When he comes to, he immediately cringes away from the hand on his before realizing its Budo. He almost regrets moving away. Almost. "Hey," he says. "What's going on?"

Budo smiles at him, though his eyes are still worried. "You're in the infirmary, Shin. You were running a fever and we're basically delirious." Shin's blank look tells him he doesn't remember any of this. Budo sighs. "Are you feeling better now, at least?"

Shin nods, avoiding Budo's eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine. Is Oka there? Can I go home now?"

Budo hesitates. He knows that Shin was uncooperative with the medical staff in regards to his bruise. But maybe he would be more willing to tell someone he trusts?

"Shinny," Budo starts. "You were in here because of a really serious infection. Can you tell me how you got the wound on your thigh?" Budo is holding his breath. Shin has been so secretive and strange these past few weeks but maybe this visit to the infirmary will scare some sense into him. He's watching his friend's face closely. Shin's eyes were unfocused when he woke up due to the medicine, but now they are sharpened into focus by panic. He hand scrabble towards his IV and he makes a move to rip it out before Budo stops him. He's breathing hard.

" **I can't,** " he says. And then he's quiet. Budo tries a few more times to start a conversation but Shin remains stony faced until Muja discharge him with instructions on wound care and a round of antibiotics for good measure. He retreats to his room as soon as they are home.

Oka invites Budo over again. This is getting out of hand.

\-----

_"What did you tell them?" Mido snarls as he pulls the boy up by his choker. Shin howls._

_"Nothing," he whispers. "No one knows, **no one knows.** " Mido hits him again and Shin sobs, trying to curl in on himself the best the handcuffs will let him which isn't much. Mido hits him again and again despite Shin's assertions that Budo, Oka or Muja knows nothing of the nature of their meetings._

_Shin has never seen Mido this angry. And he never wants to again._

\-----

Budo's tea cup rattles in its saucer as he sets it down with shaking hands. "I'm really worried about him, Oka," he admits. "I don't know what's going on, but it can't be good." Oka nods her agreement, stirring her now lukewarm tea with his spoon. "Maybe I can try talking to him," he suggests.

"You could give it a try, I don't see what not," Oka quickly replies. "He might be more willing to open up to you given your... uh, history and all." Budo smiles a watery smile at him. 

"I was thinking the same thing."

-

Shin is staring blankly at the wall opposite his bed, trying to summon the energy to shower, when he hears a timid knock on his door. He knows that Oka had invited Budo over, but he had planned to avoid all contact with him. Mido hadn't sent for him in a few days and he had spent his brief reprieve hiding in his room, refusing to come out. But the knock set butterflies going in his stomach and he wants to see his friend, even if it hurts.

He stands and opens the door to reveal Budo, still dreesed up in his uniform. His face is open and inviting and almost as if he can sense Shin wavering, he gently moves past him into the room. He shuts the door and finds a seat next to her on the floor.

"I'm worried about you, Demon Boy," he says, not looking at him, but away, out the window. He snorts. 

"I'm fine, Budo."

Now he looks over at him and he's shocked to see that his dark eyes are filled with tears. He's always thought of Budo as strong, someone who takes charge in a crisis and knows how to solve a problem. But something about this has gotten him really rattled. "Hey," Shin says, coming closer to him and wrapping an arm around his shoulder. He only manages to hold it there for a second before he drops it, shuddering at the touch of another even though he initiated it. "It'll be alright, Budo. I'll be alright. I'm used to things like that now, huh?"

But Budo refuses to be soothed. He shakes his head. "There's something you're not telling me, Shin, and I really wish you would. I'm worried about you. And so is Okana," he adds.

All of a sudden, Shin can't breathe. He curls in on himself and shuts down. He knows he's made life a living hell for Oka over the past few weeks and that is honestly his greatest regret. Deep down, he cares for his not-so-biological-sister and would do anything for her. Well, anything except tell her all the horrible filthy ways Mido has used him.

He hears Budo's footsteps retreat down the hall and he almost calls him back, almost screams out his secrets after him just to get some relief. But before he can do so, he returns, accompanied by Oka. She kneels down next to Shin and cradles him in his arms. Shin immediately goes into panic mode but Oka won't let him go. Instead she reaches out with both her hands, soothing Shin's panic back down to a manageable state.

"It's alright, Shinny," she says. "Budo and I have got you. You can tell us, it's all right." Oka accompanies her words with soothing brushes over Shin's frayed head.

Shin's body is wracked with sobs, the fine tremors shaking him in Oka's arms. Budo kneels next to the pair of them, placing his big, warm hands on the back of Shin's neck, offering solace in the way he smooths his hair.

\-----

_Shin is lying face down on the big desk in the corner of Mido's classroom. Tears are slowly leaking out of his violet eyes, wetting the table beneath him. He can't even summon the energy to shy away from the hands on his backside, instead letting Mido slowly violate him, first with one finger, then three. All that escapes him is a weak groan. "Good boy," Mido whispers in Shin's ear. "You'll be rewarded for this someday."_

\-----

It takes a long time for Shin to talk. Long enough that Oka feels his muscles cramping from being crouched in one position on the hard floor. But eventually, he does talk, the words pouring out him slowly at first, then faster. He tells everything, every horrible thing Mido had done to him or forced him to do. His tone doesn't betray his emotion, but he refuses to look either Budo or Oka in the eyes and the tremors don't stop until long after.

After his confession, Shin falls into an uneasy sleep. Budo stands up, easily lifting the smaller boy in his arms, trying not to jostle him. He carries him down the hall to his own room, Oka trailing behind, making no comment. Budo lays Shin down in his own bed and tucks him in the best he can, smoothing a hand over his forehead, trying to offer comfort to the boy's dreams. He sighs and turns to face Oka, hovering in the doorway. Her face is streaked with tear tracks, but her green eyes are clear and hard. "He will pay for this, Budo," she vows. "Don't worry." Budo nods, the fight gone out of him for the moment. All he wants to do is crawl into bed beside Shin and never let him out of his sight again.

\-----

When Shin wakes sometime in the early morning hours, he immediately cringes away from the warm body wrapped around his. For one heart-stopping second, he thinks he is back in Mido's classroom and the teacher has a hold of him. But then the events of the previous evening wash over him and manages to relax back into the warm mattress. He rolls over, somehow not breaking the hold on him, and comes face to face with Budo.

Budo is still sleeping, though not peacefully as is evidenced by his furrowed brow. Shin fights the impulse for a moment, but eventually gives in and strokes his finger over the wrinkles, smoothing them out. Budo blinks awake and smiles at him. "Good Morning, Demon Boy," he says in a low voice.

Shin holds himself rigid and doesn't return the greeting. His flight-or-fight instinct is kicking into high gear and all he wants is to get out of here before Budo says how disappointed he is in Shin. He sticks his head into the crook of his elbow. "I'm sorry, Budo," he whispers and even that sounds too loud for the closeness of this morning in bed. Budo is silent which only serves to further raise Shin's anxiety. He shrinks away, burrowing under the covers.

But he doesn't get far before he feels Budo's arms tighten around him and being him closer. "Shin," he says and the firm tone of his voice coupled with his fingers gently resting on the side of Shin's cheek cause Shin to look towards him. "There is nothing you need to apologize for," the tone of Budo's voice leaves no room for argument and the shock of last night and this morning leaves Shin's mind blank anyway. "Thank you for telling me."

As much as Oka doesn't want to let Shin out of her sight, there are matters that need to be attended to today. Namely, the ripping limb from limb of Mido Rana. Oka tries to breathe through thoughts like these that aren't constructive, but, oh sometimes it feels good to indulge in that boiling black anger she has. The hatred she feels for someone who would abuse his power in such a way to make a mess of her formally strong willed friend.

In the end, Budo ends up literally living at Oka's house. Shin and him spent most of the morning in bed, Shin telling bits and pieces of his story and Budo shutting down each and every one of his apologies. The two are sitting at the kitchen table when Oka enters, smiling softly at Shin and offering a hug to Budo. She joins them at the table, declining Budo's offer of tea and instead wrapping her hands around Shin's clenched fists.

Budo stands and presses a kiss to Shin's forehead on his way out. He smiles at Shin wide, upturned eyes. "We'll talk about it more when I get home," he assures. "I'm leaving you in good hands." Oka chuckles.

While Budo is gone, Oka and Shin retreat to the living room and sink into the couch. Shin doesn't talk much and Oka doesn't push him. She keeps him supplied with tea and blankets and lets him lean his head on her shoulder.

When Budo returns, exhausted and spent and still fighting the anger that threatens to choke him like black bile, he is greeted by Oka at the kitchen table, reading a novel. She smiles when she sees him and stands with her coat, ready to go. "Don't fret," she says softly before Budo can even open his mouth. "Today was fine. He's fine." Budo sighs out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. "He's in 'your' room, he refused to sleep in his own bed and I didn't feel like fighting him. Somehow I don't think you'll mind." And with a wink and a chuckle at Budo's red face, she departs.

Budo is left in a silence that seems to amplify his heart beat. He wakes slowly down the hallways to his room and it seems to take him a century. He pauses outside the door, listening. Sure enough, Shin's soft snores are coming from inside. He opens the door, cringing at the hiss that seems louder than it should this late. Shin is instantly awake and cries out in alarm before he registers that it's Budo entering the room and coming to sit next to him on the bed. He offers his friend a sheepish grin. "Sorry I fell asleep on you," he says in a voice that says he's not sorry at all. Budo smiles. "It's alright," he says. And somehow he thinks it will be.

Budo comes to the bed, hugging Shin tightly and telling him what happened at school this day.

Shin pulls back and the smile he gives Budo is close to matching his old dazzle, but not quite there. The similarity gives Budo's hope. The smaller boy looks him into eyes for a second before pressing his warm lips to Budo's own. He kisses him slowly; and Budo kisses him back, fuck the consequences. 

**Author's Note:**

> ugh


End file.
